Gov. Jon S. Corzine and New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Commissioner Stephen Dilts announced completion of work to re-engineer the I-78 eastbound ramp to the Garden State Parkway Union Toll Plaza, noting that the work is among many improvements in recent years to benefit motorists along the busy corridor.

NJDOT had partially closed the ramp to reduce the ramp’s height as part of a larger project in the vicinity.

“This work is the most recent example of our multi-year strategy to improve safety and traffic flow on this heavily traveled corridor that plays such a key role in linking residents to jobs,” Corzine said. “Over the past 4 years, we’ve revamped this vital stretch of road and we’ve done it ahead of schedule and with real benefits for New Jersey drivers.”

I-78 accommodates more than 145,000 automobile trips each weekday.

“From repaving local and express lanes to providing real-time travel alerts, we have made significant investments in the past several years along Interstate-78 for motorists who rely on this major east-west artery,” said Dilts.

Improvements in recent years include:

• $12.7 million project funded with federal stimulus money for pavement reconstruction of more than 2 mi. (3.2 km) of the interstate in Newark.

• The state’s first permanent real-time Intelligent Transportation System travel alert system along the interstate between Springfield Township in Union County and the N.J. Turnpike interchange in Newark, introduced March 2009.

• $25 million road resurfacing project including upgrades to bridge decks and guiderails from Drift Road to Route 124 in Somerset and Union counties, under construction now.

• $42 million express and local lane reconstruction project along 2.3 mi. (3.7 km) of the interstate from Route 24 to the Garden State Parkway in Union Township, completed October 2007, ahead of schedule by 3 months.

• $20 million ramp realignment project in Newark to provide a more efficient connection to Newark from I-78, completed in the fall of 2007.

The department continues progress on a $149 million rehabilitation project that will improve traffic flow at the Garden State Parkway interchange with I-78, where two new ramps will be constructed from the Garden State Parkway northbound to I-78 westbound and from the Garden State Parkway southbound to I-78 eastbound. The project is designed to reduce congestion by creating more direct and convenient travel patterns.

The new flyover ramp from the Garden State Parkway northbound to I-78 westbound is nearing completion.

Today's top stories

Skanska-Halmar JV Helps Quiet Confusion at JFK Airport

Federal Highway Administration Officially Eliminates Its Domestic Manufacturing Waiver On Federally Funded Projects

VIDEO: Cat Trial #14: After Hours

16th Street Mall Rebuild in Denver Overcomes Setbacks, Fall Finish Set

NYC Completes Upgrade to 19th Century, Two-Story Sidewalk Vault

Work Begins On San Antonio Airport Terminal

Record Snow Assists Demo of Mobile's Civic Center; Gadsden Set to Build New City Hall

Kubota Introduces U17-5 Next Generation Zero-Tail Swing Compact Excavator